“Love yourself!” The overused phrase which we heard often yet never truly understood, What is Self-Love? Why should we practise it? How can we?
Self-love is a focus of appreciation of yourself that can grow from actions which nurtures your psychological, physical and spiritual growth. The concept of prioritising our own well-being and needs, not sacrificing our well being for others and not settling for less than we deserve.
How to Love Yourself
There is a variety of strategies that can be used when it comes to loving yourself, keeping in mind that you may struggle at first, and you may need to take your time to follow self-love strategies. The following tips will help in getting you started.
1. Ditch the perfectionist concept
No one is perfect. It’s time we all moved away from perfectionism. In today’s society being the best and most perfect version of yourself is a trait we all aspire to have, but striving for perfection will never allow you to be happy and content with your life.
2. Embrace not having control over everything
Most things are out of our control and as much as we attempt to bend them we only create more stress and conflict for ourselves. But once you realise you cannot attempt to control the external events, your energy can be placed elsewhere. Its best to focus on what you can control; your mindset, outlook and reaction.
3. The importance of your social circle
Your social circle is a support structure and good friends are good for your health. They play a significant role in your outcome as a person. When you are able to rely on a more interconnected network of family and friends you’ll find yourself benefitting from the higher levels of support, in return this improves your mental health, satisfaction with your life and provides a sense of belonging.
4. Eat clean
Eating clean is important when putting your body first, fresh foods help keep the gut clean, which takes part in building a stronger immune system. Specific foods build on improving your mood by releasing serotonin, endorphins and dopamine into the body; helping in allowing your mind to be more energetic and happier overall.
5. Eliminate Toxic Relationships
Toxic relationships can take an immense toll on your self-esteem and self-confidence. The negativity from bad relationships eventually spoil your sense of self-worth. Allowing yourself to stay in the situation while finding ways to justify the actions of others will also distort your perception of what a healthy relationship is. As you pay attention to your own feelings without accounting for the opinion of others you’ll develop a stronger connection with yourself and learn how to trust your own intuition.
“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” — Dita Von Teese.
6. Celebrate the milestones – they matter
Personal growth is important. The concept of rewarding yourself for every achievement, from a new job, doing well in a test or making a major purchase is essential. Not growing is a form of suffering, Every milestone deserves attention. It’s a statement of an accomplishment.
7. Journal
It may be a surprise to you that a popular wellness tool is a journal; but it is well known as a pressure release when you are feeling overwhelmed or find yourself suffering internally. Jotting down your thoughts creates a form of space and distance for negative thought that may occur, this is also known as Cognitive Defusion, a concept that comes from acceptance and commitment therapy.
8. Laugh
There is no doubt that laughter is the strongest medicine. It triggers a healthy emotional and psychical change in the body from strengthening the immune system, boosting moods, reducing pain and preserving you from the harmful effects of stress. Apparently, just one minute of laughter can boost your immune system for over 24 hours.
Finally, the source to self love starts with being patient, gentle and compassionate to yourself in the same way you would for someone else that you care about.